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Home of Chartists should become a City of Democracy

Newport, once a city at the heart of the Chartist movement, should become a City of Democracy and host a democracy festival, according to a report from the independent think tank ResPublica.

Supporting the report Councillor Debbie Wilcox, Leader of Newport City Council, said: "I believe that making Newport A City of Democracy has great potential to make us stand out from the crowd and the reaction to the idea has been very positive.

"ResPublica's report and recommendations were met with enthusiasm and great interest from the audience at the City Summit.

"This has to be about more than just creating a marketing tool or a slogan. The next step will be to further develop those ideas with business leaders, community groups, schools and residents and creating a meaningful platform that will have lasting benefits for the city."

ResPublica's outline recommendations include:

Agreeing a branding strategy for the City of Democracy with stakeholders and partners

Measures to support co-op and mutual ownership for established and new local businesses

Explore incorporating the "Newport Story" into the school curriculum

Use the Citizen's Panel to trial a range of new, collaborative digital democracy tools

To participate in discussions around electoral reform

Creating a Festival of Democracy, drawing on both historic and modern contexts, generating debate and pioneering real-world uses of new democratic tools.